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LONDON (AP) — A former top aide who has accused ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson of being unfit for office is scheduled to testify Tuesday at Britain’s public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic. Political Cartoons View All 1227 ImagesJohnson is due to testify at the inquiry later in the year. Cummings, a self-styled political disruptor, was hired by Johnson after helping to mastermind the victorious “leave” campaign in Britain’s 2016 European Union membership referendum. The U.K. has one of the highest COVID-19 death tolls in Europe, with the virus recorded as a cause of death for some 227,000 people. Johnson agreed in late 2021 to hold a public inquiry after heavy pressure from bereaved families.

Persons: —, Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings, Johnson, Martin Reynolds, Imran Shafi, ” Cummings, Cummings, “, ”, Heather Hallett Locations: Britain’s, Downing, England, Europe

☆ Boris Johnson's response to COVID was 'mad and dangerous’- top official
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's approach to dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic was "mad and dangerous" and his constant indecision made it "impossible" to tackle the virus, the government's top civil servant told officials. In the autumn of 2020 when the government was discussing how to suppress the virus, Case said of Johnson: "He cannot lead and we cannot support him under these circumstances. "This is in danger of becoming Trump/Bolsonaro level mad and dangerous," Case told other colleagues. Martin Reynolds, Johnson's former principal private secretary who appeared before the inquiry on Monday, said there was a culture of dysfunctionality and misogyny at the heart of government during the crisis. I think that remains an ongoing cultural issue, which I think we could have done more to address," Reynolds said.

Persons: Boris Johnson's, Simon Case, Case, Johnson, Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro, Martin Reynolds, Johnson's, Reynolds, Andrew MacAskill, Elizabeth Piper, Ed Osmond Organizations: British, Trump, Thomson

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING/SHANGHAI, Oct 30 (Reuters) - China will send Wu Zhaohui, a Vice Minister of Science and Technology, to a global summit on artificial intelligence this week in Britain, two sources familiar with the matter said. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Beijing earlier this month and met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as Beijing seeks to boost ties with the Labour party ahead of a general election likely next year. China's science ministry and foreign ministry, as well as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, did not respond immediately to faxed requests for comment. Wu was appointed to his role in the science ministry in December 2022. Like many countries around the world, China has been caught up in a global craze over generative AI following the popularity of OpenAI's ChatGPT last year.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Wu Zhaohui, James, Boris Johnson, Tony Blair, Wang Yi, Wu, Xi Jinping, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Laurie Chen, Brenda Goh, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Science, Technology, Labour, Chinese Academy of Sciences, HK, Foreign, Commonwealth, Development, Thomson Locations: Rights BEIJING, SHANGHAI, China, Britain, Beijing, British, London, Hong Kong, United States, Shanghai

Gavin Newsom is the latest to find out that plans for a confident jump shot can turn into a torrent of online potshots. On a trip to China, the two-term Democrat took a detour from his official meetings on climate change to join a group of Beijing schoolkids for a game of basketball. Video circulating online shows Newsom wearing slacks, an open-collared shirt and dress shoes while towering over schoolchildren on the court. The governor playfully twirls a basketball on a fingertip, then executes a spin move as he heads toward the basket. “Newsom destroys kid during basketball game in China,” celebrity website TMZ tweeted.

Persons: —, Gavin Newsom, Newsom, Boris Johnson, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, ” George W, “, ”, “ Newsom, TMZ, Xi Jinping Organizations: ANGELES, Gov, pats, ” Fox News, America, Santa Clara University, Los Angeles Fox News Locations: China, Beijing, British, London, Japan, Scotland

☆ UK PM Rishi Sunak suffers two historic by-election defeats as Labour opposition surges
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Labour party candidate Sarah Edwards, centre, after polls closed in the Tamworth by-election on October 20, 2023 in Tamworth, England. LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party suffered two historic by-election defeats on Thursday, with the main opposition Labour Party overturning huge majorities to win both seats. Labour overcame a 24,664 majority to win Mid Bedfordshire for the first time since the constituency's inception in 1931 in a 20.5% swing. In the process, it pulled off the largest Conservative numerical majority overturned in the U.K. by the main opposition party since 1945. The opposition party took on what was a 66% Conservative majority at the 2019 General Election.

Persons: Sarah Edwards, Rishi, Keir Starmer, Greg Hands, Chris Pincher, Pincher, Boris Johnson, Nadine Dorries, Johnson's Organizations: Labour, LONDON, Conservative Party, Labour Party, Tamworth, Mid Bedfordshire, Conservative, Conservatives, BBC Locations: Tamworth, England, Mid Bedfordshire, West Midlands, Bedfordshire

☆ British PM Sunak suffers crushing by-election defeats
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves 10 Downing Street to attend Prime Minister's Questions at the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, October 18, 2023. "Winning in these Tory strongholds shows that people overwhelmingly want change and they’re ready to put their faith in our changed Labour Party to deliver it." The contests in Mid-Bedfordshire and Tamworth were caused by the high-profile resignations of politicians close to former prime minister Boris Johnson. The accusations against him contributed to the collapse of former prime minister Boris Johnson's government. Labour won the Mid-Bedfordshire seat with a majority of over 1,100 overturning a Conservative majority of 24,664 at the last general election in 2019.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Clodagh, Rishi Sunak's, Keir Starmer, Sunak, Boris Johnson, Nadine Dorries, Chris Pincher, Boris Johnson's, Sarah Edwards, Andrew MacAskill, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: British, REUTERS, Labour Party overturns, LONDON, Conservatives, Labour Party, Labour, Conservative, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Mid, Bedfordshire, Tamworth, England

☆ Scotland's leader says dream of independence alive despite his party's troubles
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Scotland's First Minister and Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Humza Yousaf speaks during an interview with Reuters ahead of his party's annual conference in Aberdeen, Britain, October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Gerhard May Acquire Licensing RightsABERDEEN, Scotland, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Scotland's leader Humza Yousaf is confident his dream of independence will come true in the next decade despite his governing party haemorrhaging support over the worst crisis in its modern history. The dominant political party in Scotland for almost two decades, the pro-independence Scottish National Party has been damaged by infighting, voter fatigue and scandals, including the arrest of its charismatic former leader Nicola Sturgeon. Even with support for the SNP in decline, opinion polls show Scotland is still roughly split over independence. "Support for independence is rock solid but support for the SNP has dipped," he said.

Persons: Humza Yousaf, Gerhard, Nicola Sturgeon, Yousaf, YouGov, Scots, Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak's, isn't, Andrew MacAskill, Kate Holton, Ed Osmond Organizations: Scotland's, Scottish National Party, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Labour Party won, Labour, Scotland, England, European Union, Scottish, Westminster, British, Thomson Locations: Aberdeen, Britain, Rights ABERDEEN, Scotland, Europe, European, London

☆ UK Conservative lawmaker Bone faces suspension for misconduct
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Member of the Parliament Peter Bone arrives at a private reception attended by Boris Johnson, leader of the Britain's Conservative Party, in central London, Britain July 23, 2019. The Independent Expert Panel found that Bone committed "many varied acts" of bullying and one act of sexual misconduct against a staff member in 2012 and 2013. The suspension, if backed by parliament, triggers a recall petition in Bone's constituency of Wellingborough in central England. "As I have maintained throughout the proceedings, none of the misconduct allegations against me ever took place," he said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter. The recommendation for Bone's suspension comes after he appealed a previous decision by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards that upheld allegations of bullying and sexual misconduct.

Persons: Peter Bone, Boris Johnson, Henry Nicholls, Rishi Sunak's, Bone, Sunak, Farouq Suleiman, Sachin Ravikumar Organizations: Britain's Conservative Party, REUTERS, Sunak's Conservatives, Labour Party, Conservatives, Labour, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Bone's, Wellingborough, England, Scotland

☆ UK Top Court Suggests Months Until It Gives Rwanda Migrant Plan Decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Sam Tobin and Michael HoldenLONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Supreme Court said on Wednesday it would be a couple of months before it gives its decision on whether the government could go ahead with its plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. Raza Husain, a lawyer representing eight asylum seekers, said those sent there were at risk of being returned to their home countries despite having valid asylum claims. He also argued asylum seekers faced inhuman or degrading treatment within Rwanda. The United Nations' refugee agency also intervened in the appeal, with its lawyers reiterating its "unequivocal warning against the transfer of asylum seekers to Rwanda". The Rwanda plan, struck by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson in April 2022, was designed to deter asylum seekers from making the dangerous journey across the Channel from Europe.

Persons: Sam Tobin, Michael Holden LONDON, Rishi Sunak's, Sunak, Conservative Party languishes, I'm, Robert Reed, Raza Husain, Boris Johnson, Archbishop, Yolande Makolo, Michael Holden, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Lawyers, Conservative Party, European Convention of Human Rights, The United Nations, Rwandan, European Union, Labour, Rights Locations: Rwanda, East Africa, Europe, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam, Sudan, Britain, Canterbury, Rwandan

☆ Labour Party Conference: Meet Keir Starmer, Britain's likely next Prime Minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

At least that’s how it felt in Liverpool, where the opposition Labour Party held its annual conference this week. In front of a packed hall, Labour leader Keir Starmer gave an upbeat speech painting the ruling Conservatives as the party of national decline and Labour as the party of stability. A protestor throws glitter over Labour party leader, Keir Starmer during the leader's speech at the Labour Party conference on October 10, 2023 in Liverpool, England. Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves makes her keynote speech during the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on October 9, 2023. The story Labour is telling right now isn’t just the story of Keir Starmer, leader in waiting, but Keir Starmer and his political allies, who are the government in waiting.

Persons: Keir Starmer, “, Ian Forsyth, wilder, Jeremy Corbyn, –, Corbyn’s, Starmer, Corbyn, Boris Johnson’s “, Liz, ”, Queen Elizabeth II, David Lammy, Lammy, he’d, Johnson, Rachel Reeves, Peter Byrne, Jeremy Hunt’s, won’t, Trump, Labour – Organizations: Liverpool CNN, Labour Party, Labour, Conservative, Conservative Party’s, CNN, Conservative Party, Northern, Conservatives ’, Government, University of Leeds, Oxford, Cambridge, Public Prosecutions, Labour Party Conference, Corbyn, Biden, Conservatives Locations: Liverpool, Manchester, England, Corbyn, Israel, Britain, America, Germany, Labour’s

REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 5 (Reuters) - The British government will try next week to persuade judges at the country's top court to overturn a ruling which declared unlawful its divisive plan to deport to Rwanda asylum seekers who arrive in small boats across the Channel. The stakes for Sunak are high, as he has made dealing with immigration one of his five priorities. This year, more than 25,000 people have arrived in Britain on small boats, while a record 45,755 were detected in 2022. Housing some of those migrants in hotels costs about 6 million pounds a day. Polls show high immigration remains a major concern to voters, although conversely also suggest there is support for migrants filling labour shortages.

Persons: Suella Braverman, Paul Rwigamba, Flora Uwayezu, Stringer, Rishi Sunak's, Brendan Clarke, Smith, Sunak, Boris Johnson, of Canterbury, King Charles, Robert Reed, Clarke, Michael Holden, Kate Holton, Angus MacSwan Organizations: British, Property Management, REUTERS, Conservative, Reuters, Conservative Party, European Union, Thomson Locations: Kigali Rwanda, British, Rwanda, London's, East Africa, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam, Sudan, Europe, Britain, East, Africa, Afghanistan, Angus

☆ Contested statues must stay but with explanations, says Britain
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Estelle Shirbon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Then prime minister Boris Johnson and other ministers denounced this as censorship of history while activists and some public figures said the glorification of such figures in public spaces had to end. The culture ministry's new guidance said custodians of contested statues and monuments should comply with the government's policy to "retain and explain". The guidance, which applies to structures in public spaces but not inside museums, said explanations could include alternative media and creative approaches, not just texts. The Conservatives say they are fighting a far-left agenda that seeks to denigrate Britain and its history. The controversies echoed debates in other countries, notably the United States where historic statues honouring leaders of Confederate States from the Civil War era have also been contested and removed.

Persons: Cecil Rhodes, George Floyd, Eddie Keogh, Boris Johnson, Lucy Frazer, Edward Colston, Robert Milligan, Estelle Shirbon, Gareth Jones Organizations: Oriel College, REUTERS, Conservative, Labour Party, Conservatives, Thomson Locations: Minneapolis, Oxford, Britain, Bristol, stoke, London, United States, Confederate

☆ UK PM Rishi Sunak's leadership on rocky ground as party rebellion mounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak listens to a speaker address delegates at the annual Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, northern England, on October 2, 2023. (Members) should not blindly support a Conservative Party that no longer represents our values (and is) headed for electoral disaster. Independence Party (UKIP), was also in attendance and later said that a wing of the Conservative Party is "very much coming in [his] direction." "Two-thirds [of voters] think it's time for a change, and that's the real struggle that the Conservative Party has to turn around." Medical workers marched outside of the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, England in a dispute with the government over pay.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Oli Scarff, Sunak, Tory psychodramas, Liz Truss, —, Truss, Ronald Reagan, faithfuls, Priti Patel, Peter Cruddas, Patel, Boris Johnson —, Lord Peter Cruddas, I've, Lord Cruddas, Johnson, Nigel Farage, Farage, Gideon Skinner Organizations: Britain's, Conservative Party Conference, Afp, Getty Images, Conservative, Labour Party, Conservative Growth Group, Conservatives, Conservative Party, Conservative Democratic, Conservative Democratic Organisation —, Independence Party, UKIP, News Agents, Tories, Labour, CNBC Locations: Manchester, England, Getty Images MANCHESTER, ENGLAND

☆ Britain’s Sunak issues rallying cry for a party that is already planning life without him
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

While the party establishment loathes Farage, Conservative members greeted him with open arms and requests for selfies after he arrived on Monday afternoon. The Conservative Party has always been a broad church, with competing factions jostling for supremacy. But Conservative Party members are rather different to the general public. Supporters applaud as Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during the Conservative Party annual conference on Wednesday. Bookmakers' odds on the next UK general election are displayed outside the Manchester venue for the Conservative Party Conference on October 4, 2023.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, –, steadying, ” Sunak, Sunak, Nigel Farage, loathes Farage, Hannah McKay, Kemi Badenoch, don’t “, Justin Tallis, Jeremy Hunt, Jon Super, Brexit, Johnson, didn’t, “ He’s, ”, Braverman, Grant Shapps, Suella Braverman, James, Stefan Rousseau, Christopher Furlong, Rishi Organizations: England CNN — British, Conservative Party, Conservative, CNN, Conservatives, Euroskeptic, Independence Party, European Union, selfies, Britain's UK Independence Party, PM, Labour Party, European, Human, Labour, British, Getty, Conservative Party Conference Locations: Manchester, England, “, North, Midlands, London, Sunak

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s inquiry into the response to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the nation entered its second phase Tuesday, with political decision-making around major developments, such as the timing of lockdowns, set to take center stage. The first phase, which concluded in July, looked at the country's preparedness for the pandemic. An array of experts and politicians are set to testify during the current phase, which is due to end on Dec. 14. The decisions of Boris Johnson, who was prime minister during the pandemic, will be in particular focus. After Hallett's introductory statement, the inquiry heard emotional video testimonies from families who lost loved ones or whose children have suffered long-term physical and mental effects of the virus, so-called long COVID.

Persons: —, Lorelei King, Vincent Marzello, “, ”, Heather Hallett, Hallett, Boris Johnson, Johnson, Alan Organizations: Britain’s Locations: London, United Kingdom

☆ Airlines want you to lose weight. Ozempic could save them millions.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Kylie Kirschner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Airlines are consistently looking for ways to reduce plane weight to increase fuel efficiency. The rise in popularity of weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could benefit airlines. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe recent boom of Ozempic, Wegovy, and other buzzy weight-loss drugs could do more than just help people lose weight — it could help the airline industry save money on fuel. Insider reported in 2021 that the average weight of passengers had increased — American Airlines told Insider at the time that their average passenger was eight pounds heavier, at 182 pounds in summer and 187 pounds in winter. Both American and Southwest Airlines previously told Insider that they use data from the CDC to calculate passenger weight.

Persons: —, Sheila Kahyaoglu, liraglutide —, they've, Elon Musk, Boris Johnson, Amy Schumer, Charles Barkley, Sharon Osbourne Organizations: Service, Airlines, FAA, Jefferies, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, CDC Locations: York City

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Britain’s Treasury chief is to announce a hike in the national minimum wage on Monday, as the governing Conservative Party tries to persuade voters it is on the side of those who are struggling financially. Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has ruled out tax cuts, saying they would fuel inflation. The exact amount will be set after a recommendation by the Low Pay Commission, an advisory body. The right-of-center Tories, in power since 2010, are lagging far behind the center-left opposition Labour Party in opinion polls. Truss, whose plan for billions in unfunded tax cuts spooked the financial markets, is calling for the party to “revive Conservative values” such as “cutting red tape, lower(ing) taxes and trusting that markets will find the solutions we all want.”

Persons: Jeremy Hunt, Hunt, ” Hunt, “, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, pocketbooks, Suella Braverman, Kemi Badenoch, James, Truss, ” Organizations: —, Treasury, Conservative Party, Conservatives, Low, Commission, U.K, Sky News, Labour Party, European Union Locations: MANCHESTER, England, Ukraine, Britain, Manchester

☆ Airlines might be quietly loving the Ozempic craze. The drugs could save United $80 million a year if each passenger dropped 10 pounds, one analyst estimated.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Kylie Kirschner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The rise in popularity of weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could benefit airlines. One analyst estimated United would save $80 million a year if every passenger lost 10 pounds. AdvertisementAdvertisementUsing United Airlines as a model, Kahyaoglu estimated that if each passenger weighed 10 pounds less on average, the weight savings would equal around 1,790 pounds per flight. Insider reported in 2021 that the average weight of passengers had increased — American Airlines told Insider at the time that their average passenger was eight pounds heavier, at 182 pounds in summer and 187 pounds in winter. Both American and Southwest Airlines previously told Insider that they use data from the CDC to calculate passenger weight.

☆ Britain’s PM seeks to rally his party ahead of an election they are tipped to lose
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

London CNN —Rishi Sunak will gather with members of his governing Conservative Party on Sunday for what is likely to be their final party conference before the UK’s next general, which Sunak is currently projected to lose. Party conference season is an important date fixture in the annual British political calendar. For the governing party, conference is typically a time when members rally around the leadership and unite against the opposition, insulated from whatever is happening in the wider world of politics. Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak led the UK government through much of the Covid pandemic. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaking in June on his plan to "stop the boats."

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Boris Johnson, Dan Kitwood, Priti Patel, Margaret Thatcher, Johnson, Rishi, Reuters Johnson, He’s, ”, Yui Mok, “, Will Jennings, it’s, Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn Organizations: London CNN, Conservative Party, Conservatives, Labour Party, for Fiscal Studies, Party, Conservatives ’, British, Conservative, Daily Mail, Greenpeace, Reuters, University of Southampton, Labour Locations: tacking, Sunak, France, “, Manchester

☆ UK households shoulder 3,500 pound tax hit - IFS
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Rows of houses lie in front of the City of London skyline in London, Britain, March 19, 2023. "This is not, for the most part, a direct consequence of the pandemic," Ben Zaranko, a senior IFS research economist, said. "Rather, it reflects decisions to increase government spending, in part driven by demographic change, pressures on the health service, and some unwinding of austerity." The current parliament was likely to represent "a decisive and permanent shift to a higher-tax economy," he said. ($1 = 0.8197 pounds)Writing by William Schomberg, editing by Andy BruceOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Henry Nicholls, Boris Johnson, Ben Zaranko, Rishi Sunak, Jeremy Hunt, Hunt, William Schomberg, Andy Bruce Organizations: REUTERS, Conservative Party, for Fiscal Studies, Conservatives, Labour Party, Thomson Locations: London, Britain

The UK goal was ahead of the 2035 ban in the European Union, where most British-made cars are sold. "The timing sends the message that things can change again, making it difficult for companies to manage their investment strategies." Under the new mandate that the government could make public as early as this week, the 80% 2030 electric target should remain - with the other 20% a mixture of fossil fuel models and hybrids until 2035. "In Britain, there's no industrial strategy, no intent for industrial strategy and no desire for an industrial strategy," Palmer said. "The UK (fossil fuel ban) delay is not a good sign in terms of stability, but they have realigned with EU regulation," said Denis Schemoul, director of European vehicle forecasting at S&P Global Mobility.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Christopher Furlong, Boris Johnson, Sunak, it's, Philip Nothard, ZEV, Andy Leyland, Adrian Keen, Keen, Andy Palmer, Aston Martin, Palmer, Denis Schemoul, Nick Carey, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Britain's, Rover, Industry, Union, EV, European Union, Cox Automotive, Volvo, Ford, EU, P Global Mobility, Thomson Locations: Warwick , England, British, Britain, EVs, Europe, Spain

LONDON (AP) — The British government confirmed Sunday it may scrap a big chunk of an overdue and over-budget high-speed rail line once touted as a way to attract jobs and investment to northern England. The Conservative government insists no final decision has been made about the embattled High Speed 2 project. HS2 is the U.K.’s second high-speed rail line, after the HS1 route that links London and the Channel Tunnel connecting England to France. The government hailed it as a key plank in its plan to “level up” prosperity across the country. The government has also delayed work on bringing the line all the way to Euston station in central London.

Persons: Grant Shapps, ”, “, Shapps, Boris Johnson, ” Johnson, Andy Burnham, ” Burnham, Sadiq Khan, ” Khan, Rishi Sunak Organizations: Conservative, BBC, Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester, Labour Party, Sky, London Locations: England, British, Birmingham –, London, Manchester, Ukraine, France, Birmingham

LONDON (AP) — Before he hit America, Rupert Murdoch ripped through Britain’s media like a tornado. But politicians from both right and left courted and feared Murdoch, who added The Times and Sunday Times to his stable in 1981. Like other politicians, Blair denied giving Murdoch anything in return for his support — though plenty of skeptics doubted that. For now, Rupert Murdoch remains a magnet for the powerful, and those who seek power, in Britain. The guest list for his summer party in June included Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, many members of his Cabinet and opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer.

Persons: Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan, Murdoch, Boris Johnson, “, Nathan Sparkes, Murdoch “, Jeremy Corbyn, Jeremy Hunt, Britain’s, couldn’t, ”, Jacques Delors, Margaret Thatcher, Thatcher’s, John Major, Sun wot, Tony Blair’s, Blair, ” Blair, Andy Coulson, Prince Harry, Lachlan Murdoch, Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, James, Kathryn Murdoch Organizations: Fox, News Corp, Times, ”, Labour Party, Treasury, LBC, BBC, European, Argentine, Liverpool, Sunday Times, Thatcher’s Conservative, Sun, Blair’s Labour Party, Murdoch’s News Corp, The Sun, Sky Television, Premier League soccer, Sports, BSkyB, Comcast, AP Locations: London, Australian, Britain, British, Hillsborough, ___

☆ Rishi Sunak’s plans to delay climate targets attacked, as UK government pushes anti-green drive
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

In an attack on his own Conservative predecessors as prime minister, Sunak said: “You don’t reach net zero simply by wishing it. The Climate Change Committee, the government’s independent adviser on climate change, published a report in June that criticized the UK’s net zero plans and said there was not enough urgency to reach the country’s goals. Britain is legally required to have reached net zero – meaning the country would remove from the atmosphere at least as much planet-warming pollution as it emits – by 2050. Johnson’s comments led a chorus of concerns from within Sunak’s Conservative party at the plans, which were apparently hurriedly brought forward after Tuesday’s leaks to the media. British businesses also criticized Sunak’s plans on Wednesday.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, ” Boris Johnson, ” Johnson, ”, Dan Kitwood, pushback Sunak, “ We’ve, ” Sunak, “, … I’ve, Alok Sharma, ” Sharma, Chris Skidmore, Rob Picheta, Mike Childs, Sunak’s, Lisa Brankin, Ed Matthew, ” “ Organizations: London CNN, United, Conservative, Labour, “, Sunak’s Conservative, BBC, PA Media, London's Labour, CNN, Ambition, UN, Ford, European Union Locations: Britain, United Kingdom, Glasgow, Sunak’s, London, Uxbridge, South Ruislip, New York, United States, China

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced Wednesday that he’s delaying by five years a ban on new gas and diesel cars that had been due to take effect in 2030, watering down climate goals that he said imposed “unacceptable costs” on ordinary people. U.K. greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by 46% from 1990 levels, mainly because of the almost complete removal of coal from electricity generation. The government had pledged to reduce emissions by 68% of 1990 levels by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050. Automakers, who have invested heavily in the switch to electric vehicles, expressed frustration at the government’s change of plan. Ford U.K. head Lisa Brankin said the company had invested 430 million pounds ($530 million) to build electric cars in Britain.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, ”, Boris Johnson, backtrack, Prince William —, Will McCallum, Lisa Brankin, Richard Burge, Tara, Hargreaves Lansdown, Clee, Sadiq Khan, Alok Sharma, Peter Cox Organizations: —, Conservative Party, Former, United Nations General Assembly, Greenpeace, Ford, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Britain’s Conservatives, Labour, London’s Labour, BBC, Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter Locations: New York, Britain, London Uxbridge, Glasgow

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